Syringe



, Nov. 25, 194i.`

J. L. BAILEN `2,263,865

I SYRINGE Filed Nov. 22, 1939 wim@ Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 22, 1939, Serial No. V305,"744

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-215) This invention relates to a syringe. It is particularly useful in connection with the injection of parenteral solutions obtained from ampoules, vials, and other containers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a syringe which may be employed for withdrawing liquids from ampoules, vials, and other containers and then, Without removal of the syringe plunger, permits air trapped within the syringe to be withdrawn so that the liquid, free of air bubbles, may be injected. Another object is to provide a syringe of extremely simple construction which may be manipulated to create a suction upon the needle or inlet to the syringe upon the retraction of the plunger while at the same time permitting air to be withdrawn from the barrel of the syringe as the plunger is advanced. Other specic objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in preferred embodiments, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a syringe embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a plan view of a modified form of syringe embodying my invention; and Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectional view of the modified structure shown in Fig. 4 at line 5.

It has heretofore been proposed that a syringe barrel might be provided with an opening through which trapped air might be removed. In all of such structures, it has been found necessary tc introduce liquid into the barrel by pouring the same into the open end of the barrel after the plunger is removed. The plunger is then inserted and manipulated to bring about the escape of the air, the front portion of the plunger being brought past the opening. Such apparatus, which has been in use for many years, however, could not be used with ampoules, narrow necked vials, and other containers, such as rubber diaphragm equipped bottles through which a needle is inserted, etc. With modern sterile containers, it is impracticable to attempt to introduce the liquid by pouring the same while on the other hand one can, with eXtreme accuracy, withdraw a desired amount from a container or ampoule by creating suction within the barrel of the syringe.

I have found that by providing simple manipulable means in conjunction with the barrel of the syringe, an air escape opening can be quickly closed for the suction operation, permitting the desired amount of liquid to be drawn into the barrel under suction while at the same time the opening can be uncovered to permit the escape of air when the plunger is slightly advanced. The syringe can be handled with ease with respect to lling and discharging and with' respect to the removal of the air bubble, while at the same time the danger of contamination through pouring is eliminated.

In the il1ustrationgiven, the `syringe is provided with a hollow barrel I0 which may be formed of glass or other suitable material. In the illustration given, glass is employed which is ground on the interior thereof. The barrel is provided with a bead II at its open end at the rear thereof and with a reduced extension I2 at the suction or discharge forward end thereof. If desired, the extension I2 may be equipped with the usual suction or injection needle I3 or with any other suitable instrument. The barrel I0 is provided with an air escape opening I 4 at a point toward the forward end of the barrel. Within the barrel I9 is mounted a plunger I5 which may be formed of glass and ground to provide a tight substantially air-sealing engagement with the internal surface of barrel Il). The outer end of the plunger I5 is provided with a handle button I6.

In the illustration given in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the barrel I Il has cemented thereto or secured thereto by any other suitable means a glass block I'I which is provided with a slide recess I8 having undercut edge portions. Mounted within the recess I8 is a slide I9 having edge portions dovetailing within the recess. The slide I9 is provided with a reduced extension 20 equipped at its forward end with a rounded knob 2l. The slide I9 may be formed of any suitable material. The use of metal is advantageous in that it provides a spring member 20 which causes the knob 2| to lseat firmly within the valve seat provided in the outer portion of the air opening I4.

In the modification given in Figs. 4 and 5, the block I'I and the slide I9 are omitted. Instead, a sleeve member 22 which may be formed of glass with an internal ground surface is mounted upon the barrel I0 and provides a sealing engagement about the air opening I4.

In the operation of the device, the air opening I4 is sealed either-through the slide member I9 and the knob 2l' carried by the spring arm 20 or by the sleeve member 22. In this position, the syringe is eifectively closed except for the suction opening at the forward end of the barrel. When the plunger is retracted, liquid is withdrawn from the container through the needle I3 and thence into the barrel l0, the exact amount being determined through the use of graduations on the barrel (not shown) In the injecting operation, the slide I9 or the sleeve 22 are retracted to open the air escape opening I4 `and then the plunger is advanced to bring the air bubble adjacent the Y opening through which it readily escapes. The plunger may then be advanced to inject the liquid without carrying forward air bubbles.

It will be noted that the barrel I0 is shown With an open end. If desired, however, this end may be substantially closed except for a reduced opening through which a slender handle attached to the plunger or piston may be attached. In other words, the invention may be used with the type of syringe illustrated in which the barrel is open at the rear Aor it may be'used with' the type of syringe in vwhich the rear end of the barrel is closed save for areduced barrel opening. The particular form of syringe forms no part of the invention, and it is believed clear that the invention is yapplicable to practicallyevery form of syringe or injecting device that may be used in conjunction with a hollow barrel and piston.

By the present method, it is Vno longer necessary to Waste considerable amounts of the liquid in an effort to get rid of air bubbles. In fact, no liquid need be lost at all because the air bubble vcan .be readily aligned with the opening through the operation of the plunger. At the CII same time, it is unnecessary to ll the barrel by pouring, with accompanying inaccurate results. The filling operation can be carried on with a high degree of nicety because the air escape closure devices permit the syringe to be used as a suction member in the lling operation.

While I have described certain detailed means for eiecting the opening and closing of the air escape channel, it will be understood that such details maybe varied Widely by those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim.

A syringe of the class set forth, comprising a hollow barrel having a handle opening at one end and a suction and discharge opening at the other end, a handle-equipped piston within saidbarrel, the handle portion extending .through said handle opening and rearwardly of said barrel,

- said barrel being provided with an air escape opening provided with a -ball-seatfin the outer portion of -the opening, and a valve-controlled member slidably carried by said barrel and provided with a spring arm and a ball carried .by said arm urged into sealing engagementwith the seat of said air escape opening, saidvalve-controlled member being slidablerearwardly to open said air escape opening.

JACOB LEWIS BAILEN. 

